germany-bathing-water-results-2010Falsewebdav.EtagSupport.EtagBaseInterfaceAcquisition.interfaces.IAcquirerProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.base.IBaseObjectAccessControl.interfaces.IRoleManagereea.geotags.storage.interfaces.IGeoTaggableProducts.CMFDynamicViewFTI.interfaces.ISelectableBrowserDefaultOFS.interfaces.IItemplone.portlets.interfaces.ILocalPortletAssignableeea.relations.content.interfaces.IBaseObjecteea.cache.subtypes.interfaces.ICacheAwareProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.base.IBaseContentwebdav.interfaces.IDAVResourceplone.app.blob.interfaces.IATBlobProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.metadata.IExtensibleMetadataeea.versions.interfaces.IVersionEnhancedProducts.ATContentTypes.interfaces.file.IFileContentApp.interfaces.IPersistentExtraProducts.NavigationManager.sections.interfaces.INavigationSectionPositionableplone.uuid.interfaces.IUUIDAwareProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.ICatalogAwareOFS.interfaces.IPropertyManagerProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IOpaqueItemManagerProducts.ATContentTypes.interfaces.file.IATFileeea.annotator.subtypes.interfaces.IAnnotatorAwareOFS.interfaces.ICopySourceProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IDynamicTypeplone.app.iterate.interfaces.IIterateAwarewebdav.interfaces.IWriteLockProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IContentishApp.interfaces.IUndoSupportOFS.interfaces.ISimpleItemplone.locking.interfaces.ITTWLockableAccessControl.interfaces.IPermissionMappingSupportplone.app.blob.interfaces.IATBlobFileeea.themecentre.interfaces.IThemeTaggableplone.app.imaging.interfaces.IBaseObjecteea.epub.subtypes.interfaces.IEPUBAwareAccessControl.interfaces.IOwnedeea.progressbar.interfaces.IBaseObjecteea.promotion.interfaces.IPromotableProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IWorkflowAwareProducts.ATContentTypes.interfaces.interfaces.IATContentTypeOFS.interfaces.ITraversableeea.alchemy.interfaces.IAlchemyDiscoverableProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.referenceable.IReferenceableeea.pdf.subtypes.interfaces.IPDFAwareeea.workflow.interfaces.IHasMandatoryWorkflowFieldsProducts.LinguaPlone.interfaces.ITranslatablearchetypes.schemaextender.interfaces.IExtensibleeea.app.visualization.subtypes.interfaces.IPossibleVisualizationpersistent.interfaces.IPersistentNY72B45CQRGermany Bathing water results 20102011-06-24T10:11:38Zzaineand1002011-06-16T08:25:00Z2011-06-15T13:13:52Z4waterapplication/pdfgermany-bathing-water-results-2010 Germany Bathing water results 2010 Bathing water results 2010 – Germany
1. Reporting and assessment
This report gives a general overview of bathing water quality in Germany during the 2010 bathing
season. Germany has reported under the Directive 2006/7/EC since 2008.
Before the necessary data set for assessment of bathing water quality under the Directive 2006/7/EC
is compiled (data for three or four consecutive years) the rules for transition period assessment are
applied. This means that the classification of bathing waters is defined on the basis of concentrations
of intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli that are reported under the Directive 2006/7/EC. The limit
values for the classification are taken from the Directive 76/160/EEC. For the conversion of reported
parameters under the Directive 2006/7/EC, Article 13.3 of the Directive 2006/7/EC foresees that the
parameter Escherichia coli, reported under the Directive 2006/7/EC, is assumed to be equivalent to
the parameter faecal coliforms of the Directive 76/160/EEC. The parameter intestinal enterococci
reported under the Directive 2006/7/EC is assumed to be equivalent to the parameter faecal
streptococci.
The results are classified in the following categories:
 Class CI: Compliant with the mandatory value of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia coli
and not compliant with the guide values of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia coli or
intestinal enterococci;
 Class CG: Compliant with the mandatory value of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia coli
and the more stringent guide values for the Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci;
 Class NC: Not compliant with the mandatory value of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia
coli;
 Class B: Banned or closed (temporary or throughout the season);
 Class NF: Insufficiently sampled;
 Class NS: Not sampled.
The new bathing water directive (2006/7/EC) requires Member States to start sampling shortly before
the start of the bathing season. It also requires that the interval between sampling should not exceed
one month. In some cases these required changes in regard to the old bathing water directive
(76/160/EEC) have not yet been implemented, resulting in a late start date of sampling at some sites
and/or insufficiently frequent sampling. For that reason two rules in regard to sampling frequency are
considered in the assessment of the monitoring results in 2010. By the first rule, 41 days were taken
as a maximum difference between two samples (less strict rule), whereas by the second rule the
maximum days between two samples considered were 32 days (strict rule). The new directive also
requires that the first sample must be taken shortly before the start of a bathing season. However, in
the assessment of bathing water quality in 2010, the first sample could be taken not later than 10 days
after the start of the bathing season. If this was a case, the second sample should have been taken no
later than 41 days after the start of the bathing season when the less strict rules or 32 days when the
strict rules are used in the assessment. The bathing water is classified as insufficiently sampled or not
sampled when the pre-season sample is missing or when the difference between two consecutive
samples is larger than 41 days by the less strict rule or 32 days by the strict rule. In graphs results
applying the less strict rules are presented.
2. Length of bathing season and number of bathing waters
Coastal bathing waters opened on 7 May to 1 June and closed from 10 to 15 September 2010. Inland
bathing waters opened from 15 April to 15 July 2010 and closed in August or September 2010, except
for three bathing waters that closed in June or July.
1
A total of 2 285 bathing waters were reported in Germany for the 2010 bathing season, of which 370
were coastal (352) or transitional bathing waters (18) and 1 915 inland bathing waters (31 on rivers; 1
884 on lakes).
With 2 285 bathing waters Germany accounts for about 10.8 % of the reported bathing waters of the
European Union.
The evolution of the reported number of bathing waters since monitoring of the water quality began
under the Directive 76/160/EEC and the Directive 2006/7/EC is presented in Table 1. The number of
reported inland bathing waters increased since the start of the reporting from 1 514 in 1991 to 1 915 in
2010. Meanwhile, the number of inland bathing waters had decreased from 1 915 in 1994 to 1 553 in
2005. There were nine more inland bathing waters in 2010 than in the previous year: 17 new bathing
waters were added to the list and eight were de-listed. The number of reported coastal bathing waters
decreased since the start of reporting from 440 in 1991 to 351 in 2006 and 2007. It increased
afterwards to 373 in 2008 and 2009. However, the total number of reported coastal bathing waters
was still lower than the numbers reported till 2005. There were three less coastal bathing waters in
2010 than in the previous year: one new bathing site was added to the list and four were de-listed.
3. Bathing water quality
The results of the bathing water quality in Germany for the period 1991-2009 as reported in the past
reporting years and for the bathing season of 2010 are presented in Figure 1. The previous reports are
available
on
the
European
Commission’s
bathing
water
quality
website
(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-bathing/index_en.html; Water and Health/Bathing Water/
2005-2010 reports) and the European Environment Agency’s bathing water website
(http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/status-and-monitoring/state-of-bathing-water; reports for the
2008 and 2009 bathing seasons).
The graphs show, for coastal and inland bathing waters separately:
 The percentage of bathing waters that comply with the guide values (class CG, blue line);
 The percentage of bathing waters that comply with the mandatory values (class CI, green line);
 The percentage of bathing waters that do not comply with the mandatory values (class NC, red
line);
 The percentage of bathing waters that are banned or closed (temporarily or throughout the
season) (class B, grey line).
Table 1 shows the same information in absolute numbers and in percentages separately for coastal
and inland bathing waters. The numbers and percentages of insufficiently sampled or not sampled
bathing waters are also presented. Table 2 shows the bathing water quality results for the 2009 and
2010 seasons in Germany for all bathing waters.
Map 1 shows the location of the reported bathing waters in Germany. The results applying the less
strict rules are presented. In addition, insufficiently sampled bathing waters by the strict rules are
presented as an orange outline. The location of the bathing waters is based on the geographic
coordinates reported by the German authorities.
Coastal bathing waters
In Germany, 99.5 % of the coastal bathing waters met the mandatory water quality in 2010, the same
as in 2009. The rate of compliance with the guide values was 80.5 %, which is a slight decrease of 0.5
%. One bathing site was non-compliant with the mandatory value for Escherichia coli (0.3 %), while no
bathing water was non-compliant in 2009. No coastal bathing water had to be closed during the
season.
In the early 90’s the water quality in coastal bathing waters was rather low, with around 15 % of the
bathing waters not compliant with the mandatory values. The German authorities have taken
measures to improve the overall water quality. These resulted in improved water quality as can be
seen in the increasing compliance results from 1992 onwards. The low compliance rate in the early
90’s is partly also explained by the large number of insufficiently sampled bathing waters. The
compliance rate with the mandatory values in 2007 was the lowest since 2000; non-compliance was
2
often due to the parameter total coliform bacteria. The compliance rate with the guide values in 2008 which for the first time also included the parameter intestinal enterococci - was the lowest since 2000.
Since the start of the reporting in 1991, one or more coastal bathing waters were closed during the
season (except for 1996, 2000, 2001, 2008 and 2010), accounting for less than 1 % of the bathing
waters for the most seasons.
Inland bathing waters
Some 97.2 % of the inland bathing waters were in compliance with the mandatory water quality in
2010. This is a decrease of 1.2. % compared to the previous year. Some 78.1 % of the bathing waters
met the guide values, which is a decrease of 3.1 %. The number of bathing waters non-compliant with
the mandatory value for Escherichia coli increased from nine (0.5 %) to 17 bathing waters (0.9 %). A
total of 27 inland bathing waters (1.4 %) had to be closed during the season compared to 18 (0.9 %) in
2009.
Similarly as for the coastal bathing waters, the compliance rate was low for the inland bathing waters
in the early 90’s. As for the coastal bathing waters, this was largely due to the high number of
insufficiently sampled bathing waters. From 1992 onward we see an overall increase in the water
quality. Beginning with the 2001 bathing season Germany reached a constant low level of noncompliant inland bathing waters below 5 %. The mandatory water quality was met in minimum 92 % of
the bathing waters since 1999. Since 2000, the bathing waters compliant with the more stringent guide
values are fluctuating between 75.4 % in 2000 and 83 % in 2004. Since the start of the reporting in
1991, closed inland bathing waters were reported. For the most seasons, the percentage of closed
bathing waters was below 3 %.
3
Figure 1: Results of bathing water quality in Germany from 1991 to 2010
Note: For the year 2010 results applying the less strict rules are presented.
Note: For the year 2010 results applying the less strict rules are presented.
4
Table 1: Results of bathing water quality in Germany from 1991 to 2010
DE
Compliance with
Total
guide and
number
mandatory
of
values**
bathing
waters number
%
1991
Coastal
bathing 1992
waters 1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Inland
bathing
waters
440
441
437
444
440
428
416
417
414
411
409
404
394
390
389
351
351
373
373
80
245
266
263
263
335
320
313
342
360
367
339
326
356
356
311
282
282
302
18.2
55.6
60.9
59.2
59.8
78.3
76.9
75.1
82.6
87.6
89.7
83.9
82.7
91.3
91.5
88.6
80.3
75.6
81
Compliance with
mandatory
values
Not compliant
Banned/closed
temporarily or
throughout the
season
Insufficiently
sampled or not
sampled
number
%
number
%
number
%
number
%
206
313
332
356
341
383
379
379
387
398
406
393
384
385
385
343
329
368
371
46.8
71
76
80.2
77.5
89.5
91.1
90.9
93.5
96.8
99.3
97.3
97.5
98.7
99
97.7
93.7
98.7
99.5
74
87
67
64
53
24
33
36
26
13
3
10
8
4
2
4
20
5
0
16.8
19.7
15.3
14.4
12
5.6
7.9
8.6
6.3
3.2
0.7
2.5
2
1
0.5
1.1
5.7
1.3
0
1
15
5
2
3
0
2
2
1
0
0
1
2
1
2
4
1
0
2
0.2
3.4
1.1
0.5
0.7
0
0.5
0.5
0.2
0
0
0.2
0.5
0.3
0.5
1.1
0.3
0
0.5
159
26
33
22
43
21
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
36.1
5.9
7.6
5.0
9.8
4.9
0.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.0
2010*
370
298
80.5
368
99.5
1
0.3
0
0.0
1
0.3
2010
370
292
78.9
362
97.8
1
0.3
0
0.0
7
1.9
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
1514
1820
1701
1915
1828
1808
1723
1656
1639
78
295
439
592
623
832
1265
1118
1141
5.2
16.2
25.8
30.9
34.1
46
73.4
67.5
69.6
213
394
672
846
836
1090
1545
1462
1514
14.1
21.6
39.5
44.2
45.7
60.3
89.7
88.3
92.4
244
284
188
172
200
197
97
137
97
16.1
15.6
11.1
9
10.9
10.9
5.6
8.3
5.9
2
203
23
31
27
9
24
13
15
0.1
11.2
1.4
1.6
1.5
0.5
1.4
0.8
0.9
1055
939
818
866
765
512
57
44
13
69.7
51.6
48.1
45.2
41.8
28.3
3.3
2.7
0.8
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010*
2010
1615
1601
1592
1572
1561
1553
1564
1588
1890
1906
1915
1915
1217
1265
1232
1264
1296
1275
1238
1217
1547
1548
1495
1482
75.4
79
77.4
80.4
83
82.1
79.2
76.6
81.9
81.2
78.1
77.4
1490
1498
1478
1500
1484
1459
1467
1462
1857
1875
1862
1844
92.3
93.6
92.8
95.4
95.1
93.9
93.8
92.1
98.3
98.4
97.2
96.3
94
74
66
26
48
55
70
67
20
9
17
17
5.8
4.6
4.1
1.7
3.1
3.5
4.5
4.2
1.1
0.5
0.9
0.9
16
26
30
37
24
34
25
54
13
18
27
27
1
1.6
1.9
2.4
1.5
2.2
1.6
3.4
0.7
0.9
1.4
1.4
15
3
18
9
5
5
2
5
0
4
9
27
0.9
0.2
1.1
0.6
0.3
0.3
0.1
0.3
0.0
0.2
0.5
1.4
*Less strict rules applied (41 days taken as a maximum difference between two samples for reporting under Directive
2006/7/EC). **Bathing waters which were compliant with the guide values were also compliant with the mandatory values for
five parameters under the Directive 76/160/EEC (1991-2007) or the mandatory value for Escherichia coli (2008-2010).
5
Table 2: Results of bathing water quality for all bathing waters in Germany in 2009 and 2010
DE
Compliance with
Total
guide and
number
mandatory
of
values**
bathing
waters number
%
2009
All
bathing 2010*
waters
2010
Compliance with
mandatory
value
Not compliant
Banned/closed
temporarily or
throughout the
season
Insufficiently
sampled or not
sampled
number
%
number
%
number
%
number
%
2279
1850
81.2
2246
98.6
9
0.4
20
0.9
4
0.2
2285
1793
78.5
2230
97.6
18
0.8
27
1.2
10
0.4
2285
1774
77.6
2206
96.5
18
0.8
27
1.2
34
1.5
*Less strict rules applied (41 days taken as a maximum difference between two samples for reporting under Directive
2006/7/EC). **Bathing waters which were compliant with the guide values were also compliant with the mandatory value for
Escherichia coli.
4. Important information as provided by the German authorities
In Germany, the 16 federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany – the Länder - are responsible
for monitoring of bathing waters. There are extended bathing waters in Germany where the authorities
regularly take several (2-3) samples per sampling date (day) at different places in order to better
detect possible problems with pollution.
The German authorities reported reasons for de-listing of bathing waters as follows:
Bathing water
identification code
DEBW_PR_0175
Bathing water name
RBD
Reasons for change
GRAUELSBAUM,
BAGGERSEE
WALDSCHWAIGSEE,
KARLSFELD,
SUEDOSTUFER
MOENUS-SEE,
STETTFELD,
SANDSTRAND
OSTSEE, VITT
Rhein
Bathing water was destroyed by construction work
and does no longer exist, sampling not possible.
Low number of bathers.
DEMV_PR_1_0818
OSTSEE,
ROSENGARTEN
Warnow/
Peene
DEMV_PR_1_0832
OSTSEE, INSEL RIEMS
Warnow/
Peene
DENI_PR_TK25_2925_
01
MORAENE SEE
DITTMERN
Weser
DENI_PR_TK25_3025_
01
BROCK, IMBROCKBADETEICH
Weser
DENI_PR_TK25_3719_
01
KIESTEICH –
GEVATTERFEL
Weser
DENW_PR_0036
Rhein
DERP_PR_0031
FREIZEITZENTRUM
TONWERKE
HOLZSCHER WEIHER
DESH_PR_0096
OSTS;FEHMARN;GOLD
Schlei/
Trave
DEBY_PR_DAH_0168
DEBY_PR_HAS_0012
DEMV_PR_1_0771
Donau
Rhein
Sampling not possible, no bathing by designation
as a nature reserve.
Warnow/
Peene
Low number of bathers due to poor infrastructure.
The bathers use the better accessible bathing
water DEMV_PR_1_0770 Putgarten-Nordstrand.
Low number of bathers due to poor infrastructure.
The bathers use the better accessible bathing
water DEMV_PR_1_0795 Zeltplatzstrand ZickerZudar.
Access to this bathing water is very difficult.
Infrastructure has not improved as expected.
Good alternative bathing water in close proximity
(Eldena DEMV_PR_1_0831).
Delisting in 2010 due to steadily decreasing
number of bathers. Bathing water no longer
accessible for the local public.
Delisting in 2010 due to steadily decreasing
number of bathers. Bathing water no longer
accessible for the local public.
Delisting in 2010 due to steadily decreasing
number of bathers because of unattractive
surroundings (garbage dumping).
Private bathing water with no access to the public.
Low number of bathers.
The owner of the bathing water has decided to no
longer allow bathing; infrastructure has been
withdrawn; bathing stopped in 2009.
The former bathing water is now dominated by
surf and kite activities. Number of bathers has
steadily decreased due to lack of infrastructure.
More attractive bathing waters are situated in
close proximity.
Rhein
6
7
The German authorities also reported reasons for closing of bathing waters as follows:
Bathing water
identification code
DEBB_PR_0206
DEBE_PR_0011
DEBW_PR_0169
DEBW_PR_0310
DEBY_PR_BA_0029
DEBY_PR_EBE_0170
DEBY_PR_HAS_0008
DEBY_PR_HAS_0013
DEBY_PR_HAS_0014
DEHE_PR_0065
Bathing water name
Reasons for change
Closed
MELLENSEE,
MELLENSEE,
STRANDBAD
FREIBAD TEGELSEE
Temporarily closed, from 2010-07-20 to 2010-09-15
due to construction defects.
YT
Closed due to termination of contract with
leaseholder, re-opening planed for 2011.
Temporarily closed 2010-06-11 to 2010-06-14 and
2010-06-18 to 2010-07-15 due to high
concentrations of EC.
Bathing site closed for renovation, reopening
probably 2011.
YP
SCHWOERSTADT,
RHEIN BEIM
SCHWIMMBAD
BIBERSFELD,
STARKHOLZBACHER
SEE
BAGGERSEE EBING,
RATTELSDORF, EBING
KLOSTERSEE,
EBERSBERG
BADESEE
GOSSMANNSDORF,
HOFHEIMGOSSMANNSDORF,
GOSSMANNSDORF,
STEG
PFISTERFREIZEITLAND,
ELTMANNROSSSTADT,
ROSSSTADT,
SANDSTRAND
SANDER SEE, SAND
AM MAIN,
SANDSTRAND
GEDERNER SEE,
CAMPINGPARK
DEHH_PR_5900_1021
31001
DEHH_PR_5900_1021
31002
DEHH_PR_5900_1026
06008
OEJENDORFER SEE;
BADEPLATZ NORD
OEJENDORFER SEE;
BADEPLATZ SUED
EICHBAUMSEE;
BADEPLATZ NORD
DEHH_PR_5900_1026
06009
EICHBAUMSEE;
BADEPLATZ OST
DEMV_PR_2_0153
PLOGGENSEE,
GREVESMÜHLEN
DEMV_PR_2_0401
DENI_PR_TK25_3014
_02
DENI_PR_TK25_3416
_01
KUMMEROWER SEE,
SALEM
SEE IM MASCHENER
MOOR (SUEDL. RICHT.
B4)
HELENENSEE GROSSENKNETEN
DUEMMER SEE LEMBRUCH
DENI_PR_TK25_3516
DUEMMER SEE -
DENI_PR_TK25_2626
_02
YT
YP
Temporarily closed, bathing ban due to
cyanobacteria from 2010-07-16 to 2010-08-02.
Temporarily closed, bathing ban 2010-06-26 to
2010-07-03 due to cyanobacteria and high
concentration of EC; bathing ban 2010-08-27 to
2010-09-09 due high concentration of EC.
Temporarily closed, bathing ban due to high
concentration of EC from 2010-08-19 to 2010-0826.
YT
Temporarily closed from 2010-05-15 to the end of
the season due to ongoing construction work.
YP
Temporarily closed, bathing ban due to high
concentration of EC 2010-07-23 to 2010-07-30.
YT
In 2010, sampling in Gederner See not possible due
to low water level. In 2010, no bathing due to
renovation and remediation work.
Temporarily closed from 2010-08-10 to 2010-09-13
(reason: cyanobacteria).
Temporarily closed from 2010-08-10 to 2010-09-13
(reason: cyanobacteria).
Lake Eichbaum was closed due to ongoing
remediation work. Phosphate precipitation was
realized in November 2010.
Lake Eichbaum was closed due to ongoing
remediation work. Phosphate precipitation was
realized in November 2010.
Bathing water was closed during the 2010 season
because current owner has left and new owner who would have to invest in remediation measures has not yet been found. Sampling not possible.
Temporarily closed from 2010-08-16 to the end of
the season due to high concentrations of EC/IE.
Temporarily closed. Bathing ban due to
cyanobacteria 2010-08-10 to 2010-09-15.
YP
Re-opened, temporarily closed. Bathing ban due to
cyanobacteria 2010-07-01 to 2010-09-15.
Temporarily closed. Bathing ban due to
cyanobacteria 2010-07-09 to 2010-07-12, 2010-0713 to 2010-07-22 and 2010-07-23 to 2010-07-26.
Bathing ban due to high concentrations of IE 201008-26 to 2010-09-01.
Temporarily closed. Bathing ban due to
YT
YT
YT
YT
YT
YP
YP
YP
YT
YT
YT
YT
8
Bathing water
identification code
_01
Bathing water name
Reasons for change
Closed
HUEDE
DENI_PR_TK25_3613
_01
NATURFREIBAD
ATTERSEE
YT
DENW_PR_0034
FREIZEITANLAGE
HÖXTERGODELHEIM/BADESTE
LLE
KRUPPSEE/FREIBAD
cyanobacteria 2010-07-09 to 2010-07-12 and 201007-13 to 2010-07-22. Bathing ban due to high
concentrations of EC and IE from 2010-08-26 to
2010-09-01.
Temporarily closed. Bathing ban due to high
concentrations of IE 2010-07-31 to 2010-08-23,
probably due to water fowl.
Temporarily closed 2010-08-19 to 2010-09-14 due
to cyanobacteria.
DENW_PR_0050
DESL_PR_04002
DEST_PR_0011
NIED, REHLINGENSIERSBURG,
SIERSBURG
CAMPINGPLATZ
GRÖNINGER SEE
DEST_PR_0051
CONCORDIA SEE
DETH_PR_0061
BEBRAER TEICHE
YT
Temporarily closed 2010-08-11 to 2010-08-27 due
to cyanobacteria).
As in the years before closed (uncertain water
quality).
YT
Temporarily closed 2010-08-27 to 2010-09-15.
Bathing ban due to high concentrations of EC.
The area around the bathing water was closed off
due to a landslide on 2009-07-18. Bathing was
banned. Sampling 2010 not possible.
Temporarily closed 2010-08-23 to 2010-09-12 due
to high concentrations of IE and EC.
YT
YP
YT
YT
YT: Closed part of the season (temporarily) (at least 14 days or at least three days in case of microbiological contamination).
YP: Closed the entire season (permanently).
One bathing site was affected by short term pollution four times. Replaced sample was taken in one
case. Abnormal situation was reported at two bathing waters.
Information on establishment of bathing waters profiles for some bathing waters and other significant
management measures can be obtained from the report of bathing water quality for the 2010 bathing
season by the German authorities, table BWQD_SeasonalInfo, attribute ManMeas
(http://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/de/eu/nbwd/envtrbayg/BWQ_2010_DATA_ACQUISITION_DE_corr1.xls).
Information for and participation of the public
Visitors are notified of bathing water quality by results displayed at the site itself and in tourist offices.
Many local and regional authorities publish the information in their own reports, brochures and maps.
During the bathing season, specific information and the latest sampling results are released to the
media. Increasing use of websites is being made by counties to give the public and media access to
regularly updated information. These sites include background information on monitoring and the
significance of health parameters as well as brief descriptions of the bathing waters and details
provided by the local and regional authorities. The results are updated every week but special
measures – such as bathing bans – are announced within 24 h. The links to websites of a county can
be found at http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/gesundheit-e/badegewaesser/index.htm. Following the
demands of the new Directive, public participation especially concerning the list of bathing waters is
realized e.g. by invitations through internet and news papers.
Wastewater treatment and treatment of diffuse pollution sources
Sewage treatment connection rate in Germany is 96 % (2007 figure) varying from 84 % to 100 % in
the 16 counties (Länder). Wastewater is treated in about 10 000 wastewater treatment plants.
Minimum quality standards for chemical parameters in treated wastewater depend on the size of the
treatment plant and are regulated by law. An increasing number of wastewater treatment plants are
being upgraded to include tertiary treatment. The 2001 Act on prevention and control of infectious
diseases also makes provisions for health quality parameters for treated wastewater but no
microbiological standards have been set. As ever greater quantities of wastewater are being
processed, health hazards due to diffuse pollution of bathing waters are becoming more apparent. The
relevant authorities are becoming increasingly aware of the situation and take efforts for identification
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and remediation of diffuse pollution sources. Storm water overflow retention and treatment is a major
issue in improving bathing water quality.
5. More information on bathing water quality in Europe
Of the more than 21 000 bathing areas monitored throughout the European Union in 2010, two-thirds
were in coastal waters and the rest in rivers and lakes. The largest number of coastal bathing waters
can be found in Italy, Greece, France, Spain and Denmark, while Germany and France have the
highest number of inland bathing waters.
During recent years, including the 2010 bathing season, majority of Member States have adjusted
their monitoring programs to meet the requirements of the new bathing water directive (2006/7/EC).
Luxembourg was the first country to report under this Directive in 2007. Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden started to report under the
new directive in 2008. Malta and the Netherlands started to report in 2009, while Austria, Belgium Walloon Region, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Slovenia reported under this Directive for the first
time in 2010. Historical data of two microbiological parameters, Escherichia coli and intestinal
enterococci were sent by Sweden (since 2005), Luxembourg and Malta (since 2006), Belgium Walloon Region, Greece, Hungary and Portugal (since 2007), and France (since 2009). To conclude,
20 Member States and the Walloon Region of Belgium monitored and reported under the new
directive (Directive 2006/7/EC) in 2010.
Assessment of the status of all bathing waters in 2010 under the rules of the new directive (Directive
2006/7/EC) is made for Luxembourg, Malta and Hungary. Assessment of the bathing water quality on
a country level for the other countries that reported under the new directive has been done using
transition rules. Bathing water quality for individual bathing waters having four year set of data can be
seen on the interactive maps and data viewer that are described below.
Three non-EU countries, Croatia, Montenegro and Switzerland have reported monitoring results under
the new directive. Switzerland sent data on Escherichia coli for all bathing waters but only for some
data on intestinal enterococci.
Overall in 2010, 92.1 % of Europe's coastal bathing waters and 90.2 % of inland bathing waters met
the minimum water quality standards set by the bathing water directives. During recent years there
has been deterioration in bathing water quality but still more than nine in ten bathing waters meet the
minimum quality standards. The share of non compliant bathing waters was 1.2 % for coastal bathing
waters and 2.8 % for inland bathing waters. The decrease reflects in part year to year variation but
also indicates that further work is necessary to ensure that the quality of bathing waters is constantly
improved and maintained.
More information on bathing water quality in the European Member States, including the EU summary
report, the reports for 27 Member States, Croatia, Montenegro and Switzerland, can be found on the
European Commission’s bathing water quality website (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/waterbathing/index_en.html) and the European Environment Agency’s bathing water website
(http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/status-and-monitoring/state-of-bathing-water). The Institute
for Water of the Republic of Slovenia (IWRS), a partner in the EEA European Topic Centre on Inland,
Coastal and Marine Waters (ETC/ICM) has produced the reports for the bathing seasons from the
2008 bathing season on. Countries have collaborated in the assessment of bathing water quality and
supplied additional information when needed.
Interactive information on bathing water quality
The bathing water section of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE), which is accessible at
the EEA bathing water website, allows users to view the quality of the bathing water at more than 22
000 coastal beaches and inland bathing sites across Europe. Users can check bathing water quality
on an interactive map or can download data for a selected country or region and make comparisons
with previous years.
The WISE map viewer (http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/interactive//bathing) is an online map
viewer for visualisation of European spatial water data. It includes a lot of interactive layers, allowing
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water themes to be visualised at different scales. Broad resolutions display the aggregated data by
Member State. At finer resolutions the locations of monitoring stations are displayed.
The WISE Bathing Water Quality data viewer (http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/status-andmonitoring/bathing-water-data-viewer) combines text and graphical visualisation, providing a quick
check on locations and statistics on the quality of coastal and freshwater bathing waters. It also
documents how bathing waters have changed throughout Europe in recent years and provides a full
summary of Europe's bathing water quality. Users can search information at three spatial levels country, region and province - and observe specific bathing water locations on the Google Earth,
Google maps or Bing maps.
The Eye On Earth - Water Watch application (http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/exploreinteractive-maps/eye-on-earth) allows users to zoom in on a given section of the coast, riverbank or
lake, both in street map or, where available, bird's eye viewing formats. A 'traffic-light' indicator (red,
amber, green) of bathing water quality, based on the official bathing water data, is put alongside the
ratings of people who have visited the bathing site, including any comments users wish to make. For
historical data Water Watch uses a simplified index of bathing water quality data. The Czech Republic,
Estonia, Finland (one municipality), Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway
(one municipality), Slovenia, Slovakia and England and Wales were also sending near real time
information on bathing water quality to the Eye On Earth application. The bathing water quality from
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden and Scotland and Northern Ireland was also presented on Eye on Earth Water Watch.
National and local information on bathing water quality
In order to make information to the public more effective, all EU countries have national or local web
portals with detailed information for each bathing location. Websites generally include a map search
function and public access to the monitoring results both in real time and for previous seasons.
Information on EU bathing water legislation
EU Member States will have to comply with the stricter and more ambitious requirements laid out in
Directive 2006/7/EC by 2015 at the latest. The new legislation requires more effective monitoring and
management of bathing waters, greater public participation and improved information dissemination.
By March 2011 Member States have to have established bathing water profiles. More on the new
legislation can be found on the European Commission's websites and on http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:064:0037:0051:EN:PDF.
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